Devin Booker beat the Mavericks on Saturday night with this game-winning buzzer-beater. Watch this. It’s a treat:
BOOKER CALLS GAME#WeArePHX pic.twitter.com/dTxPEfSgGl
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 12, 2017
The thing is...the Suns are secretly the most clutch team in the NBA? At least by one measure. They hit buzzer-beaters more than anyone (cool!), and so far they do it exclusively with former Kentucky Wildcats (kinda hilarious!).
Have a look:
- Booker is the only player in the NBA with two buzzer-beaters this season.
- This is pretty rare, as ESPN Stats and Info notes, “Over the last 10 seasons, only two other players connected on multiple game-winning buzzer beaters on the road within one season: J.R. Smith (two in 2012–13) and Joe Johnson (two in 2013–14).”
- And in fact, there is only one other team in the NBA with two buzzer-beaters this season — the Bucks.
- Meanwhile, the Suns have hit twice that — four buzzer-beaters this season as a team...
- ...and all have been hit by former Kentucky Wildcats — Eric Bledsoe on Nov. 2 against the Trailer Blazers, Booker on Feb. 3, and Tyler Ulis on March 3. Presumably, Brandon Knight’s up next.
- This isn’t just a lot for this season, it’s a lot, like, in general:
Suns are first team with at least 4 game-winning buzzer-beater shots in a season since the 2009-10 Lakers
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 12, 2017
So, yeah — the Suns! Who knew?
Not only is this a curiosity, it’s especially heartwarming because it’s only been a few years since the Suns were totally victimized by buzzer-beaters.